SEARCH

It’s a new year, 2012, and the optimism in the Cattle Industry continues. Spring calving is just around the corner and thus a great percentage of the 2012 Calf-crop is in the 3^rd trimester of fetal development or very close to it. Over 85% of fetal growth occurs during this stage of gestation, and nutritional demands of the mother cow are increasing at a rapid rate. Protein and energy demands increase nearly 20% just during the last month of pregnancy (see chart below). 

Cow Body Condition has got to be the number one priority in a cow-calf nutrition program. As an indicator of Energy status, it affects everything from health to reproductive efficiency, and ultimately profitability. At no point is Body Condition more critical than during late gestation and early lactation. The processes of fetal development, delivering a calf, milk production and repair of the reproductive tract, are all physiological stresses. All these require large quantities of energy to enable cows to rebreed in 85 days in order to maintain a calving interval of 12 months.

Once the calf is born, its survival and immunity is dependent on receiving high quality colostrum the first 24 hours of life. Colostrum in milk provides the passive immunity to a calf from the IgG (Immunoglobulin) concentration. These immunoglobulins are antibodies that fight bacterial and viral challenges the calf will encounter until its active immunity is developed. 

A cow that is in good health, adequate body condition (BCS 5-7), and is meeting nutritional requirements during the last trimester of gestation will produce adequate amounts and quality of colostrum for her newborn calf. On the flip side, cows that are nutritionally challenged and losing body condition will produce lower quality colostrum, experience more dystocia,  have less vigorous calves with more health problems, and be challenged to re breed efficiently etc.

So, with Mother Nature’s help, if we have been utilizing a good supplement strategy to maintain body condition and utilize forages effectively, calving season should go well right? Yes, it should if we continue to pay attention to nutrition and continue to make best use of available forages. Now is likely the time to utilize our better quality forages or increase supplementation to lower quality forages (generally forages less than 10-12% protein).

 Mineral and vitamin requirements also increase during the third trimester and are important to immune function, reproductive efficiency, etc... If byproduct feeds such as distiller grains are being utilized, mineral nutrition can be further complicated and may need to be fine -tuned in addition to simply being fed at higher levels.

 For many areas of the U.S., it’s been a nice mild winter so far. For cow-calf producers, that’s not a bad thing as cold stress, nutritional stress, feeding costs, etc…, have likely been reduced from where they potentially could be. These market and environmental conditions have made it possible to get more out of winter grazing and hopefully producers have used supplement strategies to maintain or even add condition score to their cows. Now as calving season approaches, be sure to continue to pay attention to nutrition and make the best of 2012.

Talk to your CRYSTALYX^® dealer for more information. Obtain input on specific CRYSTALYX^® Brand Supplement and programs that fit the third trimester of pregnancy for your Beef Cow operation.

Spring born calves are now being weaned, shipped, marketed and transitioned from summer through fall to winter.  The words “calf weaning” can spell fear for some producers and opportunity for others.  Weaning practices or methods vary from conventional methods to ones where pre-conditioning is involved, to fenceline, two-step, or simply the “weaning them on the truck to town” method.

Weaning tips normally revolve around stress reduction.  There may be an ongoing debate on which programs work the best and which fit facilities, topography, feed resources, and manpower issues.  There is strong data from several studies around the U.S. that suggest fenceline weaning or low-stress weaning programs have advantages on calf behavior and performance. 

Below summarizes some benefits of a fenceline weaning system for a 7 day period vs. conventional or total separation weaning from dams (source, Price et. al - Univ. of California Davis 2003)

• Increased time grazing and eating in days immediately following weaning
• Less time walking and more time spent lying down following weaning
• Less time bawling (vocalizing)
• Increased weight gain in the first 2wks following weaning (23 more lbs.) and this gain difference persisted through 10 weeks following weaning (26 lbs. more )

While the advantages above do support the practice, Fencline weaning will require well maintained fences (often a combination of a permanent and electric fence) and adequate, easily accessed water on both sides of the fence.

Whatever the practice, good nutrition is not exempt in making a program more successful.  Just as important is management and perhaps the weaning method that makes the most sense for an individual operation.  Even calves sold right off the cow will benefit by good nutrition prior to weaning as this will help whoever buys them in their receiving program.  This may sound like it cost the seller and benefits the buyer, but calves marketed in value added programs or preconditioned typically bring significantly more money.

For years now, Crystalyx^® has highlighted a very versatile supplement product in Brigade^®.  This product was first evaluated in receiving calves that are typically stressed and experience high morbidity.  Volumes have been written that calves that get sick in a weaning or receiving situation do not perform as well, are less profitable, less marketable, have higher health and treatment cost, etc...  One key to reducing stress and ultimately sickness in weaned calves is getting them to start on feed quicker or maintain feed intake.  Several demonstrations and the experience of many cattle producers have shown the economic benefits of Brigade^®.

Using a product like Crystalyx^® Brigade^® will supply a continuous availability of concentrated nutrients in a palatable form.  Even if calves are not eating normally, they still tend to consume Brigade^®.  This small amount of supplement will increase appetite, stimulate rumen microbial activity and forage digestion.  It will also encourage water consumption which in-turn can help improve dry matter intake.   One practice that would work in both fenceline and conventional weaning programs would be to offer Brigade® to both cows and calves prior to weaning for about 1-2 weeks.  This gives a head start nutritionally for calves, plus it acclimates them to the barrel so they know exactly what it is come the day of weaning.  

CRYSTALYX^® Brigade^® has been recommended by many CRYSTALYX^® dealers and sales professionals as a key tool in starter programs.  Make it part of yours when weaning program as it will fit all methods!

There’s always been a lot of attention to supplement cost. Some will argue it’s more true now than ever with higher input cost for beef production, but I don’t recall a time ever in the past when feed and supplement cost was NOT a factor. Earlier bog topics the past several months by my colleagues and I have addressed many cost and value topics pertaining to feed and beef production.

The cost per ton or other unit of a supplement is only the starting point in figuring true cost. Proper supplement management will affect cost. Way too often we in the feed industry witness or hear of producers who purchase what they think is a good deal, only to realize later that what they’ve really purchased failed to meet their needs.  Sadly, this usually results in improper or incorrect use of a supplement; which in the end is simply a waste of money. Below are common errors or misconceptions that may be seen with managing free-choice supplements.

1.     Improper number of free-choice feeding stations in place

a.     Not enough blocks, mineral feeders, containers (lick barrels/tubs etc.), placed for the number of head being fed.  For example, if you are using Crystalyx^® barrels, a common barrel to animal ratio is 1 barrel for every 20-30 head of cattle.  If one barrel is placed for 250 head, there’s going to be a large number of animals that do not get adequate access to the supplement.

b.      Too many feeding installations are used.  In this case, too much consumption may be experienced.

2.     Location(s) of free-choice supplements and distance between blocks and/or tubs.

a.     It’s generally accepted that supplements can be placed near water and loafing areas, this will help animals acclimate and find the supplement. Some labeling does however recommend that supplements can be fed farther from these areas to help spread or distribute grazing or to influence consumption. Ridley Block Operations has extensive research showing how Crystalyx^_® can be effectively used to lure cattle to underutilized pasture areas, thus improving grazing distribution and overall economics of feeding.

b.     Put some distance between supplement placements. Often times I see numerous blocks/tubs being placed nearly side by side. This can cause crowding by the animals, trampling of the ground and ultimately lead to variable intake.  Put some distance between blocks and tubs.  This is easy to do when feeding on pasture. Small pressed blocks require at least 10’ between them while large tubs/barrels can be spread at distances over 300’.

a.     It’s important to know your intake of supplement and gauge it accordingly.  Having empty feeders for any period of time means most animals are not consuming supplement at regular intervals.  Animal behavior, environmental and geographic influence, may also describe supplement intake variance. But don’t add to this by simply not monitoring intakes and placing supplement when needed. For some help in this area, visit the Crystalyx^® Supplement scheduler at www.crystalyx.com/scheduler/. By entering a time frame of supplementation, estimated consumption and Crystalyx^® product selection, this tool will send you e-mail reminders as to when it is time to be placing supplement again.

4.     Waste and Weatherability

a.     All free-choice supplements are not created equally. Some need to be fed in weather proof containers (some mineral and salt supplements), while others are more weatherized and hold up very well to the elements.  Be prepared for weather as a poorly weatherized program will lead to supplement waste, poor palatability, etc.., ultimately impacting supplement cost and performance.

Good Supplement management should not be overlooked. Improperly managed free-choice supplements are usually inconvenient, don’t perform and are simply a waste of money. It may be better (cost wise) to forgo supplementation vs. having a program that is implemented incorrectly. Ridley Block Operations, the manufactures of Crystalyx^® brand supplements, takes pride in having effective free-choice supplement programs that are easy to manage, predictably consumed, and cost effective.

I recently had the good fortune to attend a company-sponsored conference on Beef Production Critical Control Points. Just the title/topic of this conference would open up a long list of subjects one would expect to learn. Nutritionists, veterinarians, economists, ranchers, feedlot operators and anyone else would come up with a long list or perhaps their own specific list. In fact, many surveys by various organizations and institutions exist with a near endless list of production management categories. (See chart below).

Source:  Priorities First, December 2006 (sponsored by American Angus Association)

Proper supplementation practices are either on these lists or influence various categories. Past blog topics since April 2011 on this website have addressed in one way or another something in the list above.

As the fall season approaches, I often get the question in the northern plains of just when is the best or most valuable time to use a supplement like CRYSTALYX.  For the traditional products that supply protein, the answer is usually in early fall/late summer, and to match supplementation to forage conditions to positively affect cow body condition? A cow given some supplement while in good body condition will likely not suffer later as weather and forage conditions further deteriorate and will ultimately be more efficient. If bred cows are entering the second trimester of pregnancy, data also supports the positive effects of supplementation now on subsequent calf performance (i.e. fetal programming or developmental programming). 

Anymore just about everything involving beef production is critical. When one ponders that the American beef producer is challenged everyday by circumstances completely out of his or her control, and still manages to come up with the safest, highest quality, and most abundant supply of beef in the world, it’s evident that much attention is paid to critical control points. It is also a reminder that the production bar continues to be raised and that beef producers and all who support them with goods and services cannot be complacent in any area.

While it’s true that Agriculture is enjoying some record or near record dollar receipts for commodity goods, input costs are rising and thus need to be managed. Everything costs more these days. From fuel to food, no one can escape all the rising costs. In this economy, we should all be challenged to find what the best buy is for the dollar and match purchases to our needs, goals and objectives.

Livestock supplements are no different. Cost factors are real and price volatility seems to be the norm these days. Beef producers today are scrutinizing all input costs more now than ever. Some are even tempted to abandon supplementation practices or drastically ration them; but cattle nutrient requirements are not related to the ingredient markets, so doing this would have negative consequences. The need for supplementation didn’t go away, and if we want to continue to have and market healthy productive animals, we cannot afford to neglect nutrition. Still the challenge is to determine the best value for a purchase.

Price is What's Paid, Value is What's Received

First, one can evaluate the true cost of a supplement beyond the purchase price. Evaluate how a given supplement program can help save on other input costs such as fuel, labor, equipment cost, etc. A bargain supplement or feed really isn’t a bargain if more dollars are spent to feed it, store it or handle it.

Even cheap supplements cost money, and again, if a bargain perceived supplement is not “managed” correctly, it actually becomes a waste of money or a bigger cost. I see this much too often with free-choice mineral supplements where a problem with performance is not as much the mineral, but the management (or lack of). I’ll save this discussion for another blog as one could write a book on this topic.

The same is true in evaluating quality of a supplement; take time to truly evaluate what you are buying. For example, with Low Moisture Blocks there are competing brands and formulations with equal protein content and feeding levels that would differ as much as $200 per ton.  This $200 sounds like a lot, but when evaluating cost per head per day (which we should always do), a $200 per ton difference on a supplement that is consumed at ¾ of a lb. per head per day translates to 7.5 cents. So, if you are already committed to spend 25-30 cents for a protein, vitamin, mineral supplement and are evaluating multiple brands or formulations, what more is received for spending another nickel? More than likely a significantly higher level of trace minerals and vitamins, a medication or additive that improves performance is gained. Other benefits would also exist such as better quality assurance; better service from a supplier, additional applications of supplement, packaging options, and the list could go on. 

Another way to describe this above is “value-added” or getting a 50-100% improvement in the supplement for only 20% more cost. When evaluating supplement strategies, be sure to look at the supplement value in terms of, you get what you pay for and think of other things you buy. A $40,000 ¾ ton 4WD pickup can offer a lot more than a $25,000 ½ ton 2WD. The most cost effective supplement is usually not the one that costs the least.

I recently had a visit with a 20+ year veteran of the livestock premix business. He told me his customers seem to be just as profitable, or more so, when feed costs are high. I’m sure that statement would open up a lot of argument, but there may be some interesting perspectives before jumping to any conclusions. One of which may be that fine tuning and optimizing nutrition for the best return on investment would make sense when profit opportunities are highest (high market value of cattle) or when managing overall high input costs.

I also remember a conversation in the middle part of the past decade with a well-known stocker operator in the Eastern U.S. that said, “Yes, these cattle are costing more money right now, but they will make me more money because the gain is worth more.” It makes sense that dollar for dollar, right now looks to be a good time for stocker cattle investments. There is always risk, perhaps more now than ever, with high price volatility, but nobody can predict the future. Many marketing analysts have demonstrated that the stocker market has been profitable more than 20 years out of the past 25.

When stocker cattle were selling for $85 per cwt, a supplement program costing  ~8 cents per animal per day resulting in 0.25 lbs of additional gain netted a return of 13 cents. Given today’s higher market, assuming cattle at $135 per cwt, the same supplement program that may now cost  ~12 cents per head per day would net a return of 21 cents. Hmmm – I guess what worked back then works even better now? The total dollar return per head is better today, thanks to higher valued cattle. Supplementation still works and is even better now. 

With feedlot cost of gain at or near record highs, it makes sense to add as much gain as possible on lower cost pasture grazing programs. Thus, there seems to be a lot more interest in the traditional yearling or stocker cattle market. Some areas of the U.S. are dry and some are wet but nevertheless, those areas with grass available should provide a good stocker cattle opportunity.

It’s probably not news that hay prices are climbing in many areas due to several factors (high demand, drought in the southern plains, and supply). With high cereal grain prices, hay and pasture supplies are not likely to increase anytime soon.  In fact, pasture rental rates are under upward pressure as well.

A good supplement program not only improves gain performance but can do so without adding any significant cost of gain on pasture. Assuming pasture rental rates at roughly $20 per animal per month (highly variable depending on locale and grass type for stocker cattle) with an average daily gain of 2 lbs without a supplement, cost of gain on pasture would be ~ 33 cents per pound. By adding 12 cents per day in supplement cost and achieving 2.25 lbs of daily gain, the cost of gain changes only to ~ 35 cents. With even higher pasture rents (or lower baseline gain performance), the spread narrows and actually becomes positive.

Yes, the investment paid for stocker programs is a large one. I often wonder if lenders and borrowers overlook the additional income a good stocker supplement program can provide. After all, the additional dollars needed to purchase supplement is a real cost, but the return on those dollars is money well spent – even better spent in today’s market!